Former major league pitcher Curt Schilling admits he played alongside gay teammates and doesn’t understand why anyone would have a problem having openly gay players in the clubhouse or locker room.

In a series of Tweets, Schilling explained: “I've never understood this 'issue' with gay players? Who cares? I know I played with some, their sexual orientation never had much to ... To do with how they hit with RISP, or pitched in late and close situations, why the hell would what they do in the bedroom ever matter?”

Schilling's 20-season major league career spanned from 1988-2007. He pitched for the Philadelphia Phillies, Arizona Diamondbacks, Boston Red Sox, Baltimore Orioles and Houston Astros.

The hot-button issue has returned to the headlines this week because San Francisco 49ers cornerback Chris Culliver said in a radio interview during Super Bowl media day Tuesday that he wouldn’t want a gay teammate and that a player would have to “get up out of here” if he were to admit he was gay.

Soon after, the 49ers released a statement condemning Culliver’s comments.

And Culliver apologized and released a statement Wednesday that read: "The derogatory comments I made yesterday were a reflection of thoughts in my head, but they are not how I feel. It has taken me seeing them in print to realize that they are hurtful and ugly. Those discriminating feelings are truly not in my heart. Further, I apologize to those who I have hurt and offended, and I pledge to learn and grow from this experience."